The Girl Next Door
by Pink Melon
Summary: AU: A typical girl meets a typical boy. They coincidentally happen to be neighbors, so typically, they'd fall in love right? Right. Simple enough. Now let's add a twist. Don't like it? Don't read it. Lots of fluff just so you know.


DISCLAIMER: I don't own Tekken. Or Nissan.

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The Girl Next Door

Chapter 1: Breaking Weekend Habits

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A disgruntled young woman hurriedly paid the driver and struggled through the door while trying to drag her two enormous, over-packed bags with her. As the driver lowered the passenger window, the woman simply walked straight pass the taxi with a low grumble.

"Keep the change," was what the driver deciphered from her grouchy, almost inaudible rumble. He waited a few seconds just to make sure. After a few seconds of no hesitation in her forward stride, with a shrug of a shoulder, the driver pulled up the window and sped off. A puff of smoke appeared in front of the woman moments after the taxi driver sped off, earning a couple of coughs from the woman.

"That's the last time I ever give any man directions, they can't tell left from their own rear ends!" The woman exclaimed to herself, startled to hear a chuckle come from behind her.

Turning around, the woman saw a young lady a bit younger than her dressed in a jean pair of shorts with a cornflower blue tank top, finishing off her look was her white pair with blue trim sneakers. The breeze picked up a little and gave the slightly older woman a clear view of the young lady's face. Blowing away the young lady's chestnut brown hair revealed her brown eyes and rosy cheeks.

"I completely agree." Noticing the woman's surprised look, the young lady releases another chuckle before explaining herself. "Well I was taking out the trash when I overheard what you said. About men and directions," trailing off a bit.

"Oh! That!" The woman exclaimed before letting out a nervous chuckle. "I'm sorry; I'm a bit out of it. A half an hour drive from the terminal becoming into an hour of trying to get a driver to follow your directions kinda wore me out."

With a nod of agreement, the younger of the two stuck her hand out for a greeting. "Kazama Asuka."

The older complied with the gesture, shaking her hand. "Ling Xiaoyu, but I prefer Xiao."

"Sure thing. Are you moving in here?" Asuka asked noticing her luggage and the moving van pulling into the parking lot that surrounded the building.

"Mmmhmm. I'm transferring to the Art Institute at Tokyo from Beijing."

"Art Institute eh?" Pondering for a minute, Asuka took note of the white couch and chairs and the matching furniture. "Interior designer?"

"Nope," was Xiaoyu's reply along with a shake of her head. "I'm studying fashion. I want to be a designer and start my own line someday!" Xiaoyu added dreamily.

"Hey let's get you settled in and all that stuff okay?" Asuka grabbed her duffle bag and headed towards the elevators, Xiao a couple of steps behind.

"Do you live here?"

"Yup," was Asuka's only reply as she tapped her foot impatiently waiting for the elevator's 'ding'. "Finally!" both exclaimed as they stepped into the elevator.

"Xiao, what floor?"

"Oh, uhm, the third."

"So you're the one moving into the vacant apartment next door."

"Hehe. Yeah, that's me! But technically, it's my apartment."

"Oh, yeah. Heh. Good thing your not some boring old fart."

All Asuka got in reply was a hearty laugh, as the stepped onto the floor. As they reached her door, they noticed some moving men waiting patiently to get in.

"Oops. Sorry guys." Xiao ran the rest of the way to the door, grabbing the key out of her jeans pocket. She allowed the moving men in before propping open her door.

Asuka dragged Xiao's overstuffed duffle bag into the apartment while Xiao struggled to roll her suitcase over the bump at the door.

"Hey! After the movers are done, and you get settled in enough, how about me and my brother show you around town? I mean, it is your first time here right?" Offered Asuka knowing she had nothing better to do than argue with her brother to get out more.

"Actually, I've been here before, but only briefly. But yeah, a day around town sounds like fun! I'm going to have to shower and stuff first though." Xiao made a face of disgust as she ran her fingers through her hair, earning her a laugh of understanding from Asuka.

"Yeah I hear ya. Greasy hair is never fun," running her hand through her own hair. "Well I'll be next door if you need anything. I'm gonna go wake up my brother and try to get him to come with us. Then I can get ready. Just stop by when you're ready. Ja ne! 1"

Without waiting for Xiao's reply, Asuka ran into her apartment yelling for her brother to wake up.

Shaking her head, Xiao turned around and started to drag her two bags into her room, but abruptly stopped by a mover. "Where's your bedroom?"

"I'm headed there right now, just follow me." The mover saw Xiao struggling with her bags and took her duffle bag into his hand leading the rest of the workers with furniture into her room. "Thanks."

"Tadaima! 2" Not hearing a reply, Asuka went to her brother's room and opened the door only to see him sound asleep. A wicked grin appeared on her face as she opened the blinds and yelled, only a couple of feet from his sleeping form. "Jin! Wake up! It's 9 in the morning!"

With a sleepy groan, he pulled his king sized comforter over his head, attempting to get more sleep. Asuka, knowing his childish antics, pulled the comforter completely off the bed, revealing Jin in his muscle shirt and black pajama pants with a red flame up his right pang leg sleeping soundly on white satin sheets as if none of his sister's attempts to awaken him worked.

"I know you're awake," Asuka stated in an annoyed tone. Expecting him to throw a pillow at her, he turned around onto his belly and pulled a red pillow over his head. Turning on her heel, Asuka marched straight towards the kitchen grabbing a cup and filling it with ice water. She walked back into the room and took the pillow off his head, throwing some of the water into his face.

Bolting up out of his bed, his voice boomed, "What the - " only to be interrupted by the rest of the water being thrown in his face.

Arching an eyebrow, Asuka attempted to tell him the itinerary for the day. "Are you awake now?"

"No." Jin mumbled as he made his way around his room to fix his bed.

After watching his brother attempt to fix his bed, Asuka asked him, "Why don't you just leave it, you're gonna sleep in it again aren't you?"

"Yeah. So?" Jin said in a nonchalant manner, not getting his sister's point.

"Jeez. You're such a neat-freak!"

"And you woke me up to tell me something I already know?" Turning around from his newly made bed, it was his turn to arch his eyebrow at his sister.

"Oh yeah," almost forgetting her reason for waking the sleeping beauty in the first place. "Get ready we're gonna go show our new neighbor around town kay?"

"Sure, but I can't go with you." Jin replied turning around to go to his bathroom and shower.

"Why not? It'll be fun! And besides, you need to get out more and have some fun for once." Whining as she followed her brother.

"I hahn. I hah a heeing ih a kahoh uh ahha," Jin replied as he brushed his teeth and looked straight forward into the mirror.

"You what?" A look of confusion appeared throughout her face. "Spit."

Jin turned on the cold water and spat out the minty substance and rinsed the rest out of his mouth. "I can't. I have a meeting."

"On a Saturday?"

"Yup. Leave, I need to shower."

"On a Saturday." Still not believing he had a meeting on a Saturday.

"Yeah, but I shower everyday."

"Jin, quit being a smart-ass! You know what I mean," glaring at him with a hint of irritation.

"Yes, my meeting's on a Saturday. And watch your mouth."

"Excuse me, smart-butt."

Shaking his head in amusement, he shut the door and turned to his shower.

"But it's a Saturday!" She shook her head at how unbelievably up-tight her brother was being. She went to the kitchen, poured herself a cup of apple juice and settled herself on the couch pressing play on the DVD remote to resume her unfinished movie from the previous night.

After a couple of hours of directing where the furniture should go and somewhat settling in, Xiao took her long awaited shower. After she stepped out of her shower, she blow-dried her hair straight and parted her hair off to the side. She contemplated on whether or not she wanted it down, or up. After minutes of playing with her hair, she decided to leave it down straight with her natural waves in it. Deciding to keep her face simple, she applied a little bit of eyeliner and glossy lip balm.

Xiao walked into her room and glanced at her alarm clock on her side table drawer beside her pink sheeted queen sized bed. Noticing it was 11: 11 she closed her eyes and made a wish to herself. Hoping her wish would come true, she walked to her closest drying the rest of herself off on the way. She walked through the closet and settled on a pair of black leggings under a light washed jean mini skirt and a pink camisole under a white button down polo.

Xiao stepped out of her closet and took a final look at herself in her full length mirror that was hanging by the door to her closet. Content with herself, she grabbed her black ballet flats and her purse. After she made sure she had her keys and her wallet she slipped on her shoes, locked the door and made her way down to Asuka's apartment.

Xiao knocked on her apartment door and was replied with Asuka yelling, "Who is it?"

Giggling, Xiao yelled back, "It's me! Xiao!"

"Kay! Hold up."

Xiao waited for her to answer the door. Once it was open she asked, "You ready to go?"

"Yeah just let me get my stuff real quick. Come in."

"Okay."

Xiao stepped in and turned around to close the door and by the time she turned back around a man dressed in black slacks and a muscle shirt in the middle of buttoning up his black dress shirt started to walk out. Xiao couldn't help but stare.

Xiao's stare didn't go unnoticed by Jin. "Like what you see?"

Xiao blushed a little and regained her composure quickly and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Black on black?"

"The blacks match."

"Yeah. I guess it works," Xiao replied still staring.

"Are you sure you don't like what you see. I mean, you keep staring." Jin was now finished buttoning his shirt and was now putting on a blue tie.

"You can't take a hint can you?"

"What? I don't understand," Jin replied back as he finished tying his tie still looking at her perplexed.

"Your zipper's undone," she stated bluntly.

Embarrassed, Jin quickly turned around and zipped up his pants zipper. He turned back around to face Xiao with an uneasy laugh and a hand scratching the back of his head. "Better?"

"Yeah. Much better." Xiao was giggling at Jin's antics by the time Asuka got back.

"Oh, so you've met already."

"Not exactly." Jin looked at himself in the mirror wondering if he should lose the tie or keep it.

"Oh, Xiao, meet Jin, my brother. Jin, meet Xiao. She just moved in."

Xiao waved lightly at him deciding that he was a little busy. "Hi, nice to meet you."

With an acknowledging nod in her direction Jin greeted her back. "Hi, you too. Sorry about earlier."

"Don't even worry about it. It happens to the best of us."

"Wait! What happened? I was just gone for two seconds!"

"It was nothing, Suki-chan. Go have fun, I'll be late for my meeting if I even try to explain it."

With a defeated sigh, Asuka slipped on some shoes. "Oh I have a date at 6:00 tonight. What time does your meeting end?"

"It'll only be about an hour or so. Then I'll come back home and just do some work I guess." All of a sudden her words played through her head. "Wait! You have a date? With whom? Do his parents know about you? How old is he? Is he driving? Where are you going?" Jin halfway interrogated her, not waiting for her to reply.

"Heh. Well would you look at the time. Hey Xiao we better get going! Bye Jin!" Asuka hurriedly opened the door and turned to leave.

"You scheduled to have a meeting on a Saturday?" Xiao more exclaimed disbelievingly instead of a question.

"Why is that so hard to believe? Yeah. I did." Jin said taking one last look at in the mirror and made sure he had his keys, cell phone and wallet.

"Xiao! Let's go! The elevators here!"

"I gotta go. Good luck with that meeting of yours. I'd lose the tie, but that's just me." Xiao left and closed the door and ran to the elevator Asuka kept open.

Jin took another look in the mirror hanging on the wall next to the entry way and gave a sigh. He undid his tie and a couple of buttons. Satisfied, he put on his shoes and started for the stairs heading towards the garage, but not before taking a glance on the clock. Confident with his time-management skills, he put on a smirk gladly knowing he was 7 minutes ahead of his schedule.

I'll find about Asuka's date later. Like what you see? What was I thinking? Note to self: always check zipper before leaving bedroom. Heh. She's cute though. Beautiful hair, great smile. What am I thinking! I just met her! Forget it, I'm probably way out of her league anyway. Right! Meeting, in 19 minutes. I hope there's no traffic.

With that last thought, he climbed into his silver Nissan 180SX and backed out of the garage and made his way to the Hirano Café.

Xiao and Asuka were walking around downtown and decided to grab some lunch at Hirano Café after getting Xiao's pre-paid au cell phone. Xiao stepped into the café and was all of a sudden surrounded with the strong smell of coffee and freshly baked bread. They approached the counter and Xiao immediately recognized the cashier.

"Miharu!"

"Oh my Gods! Xiao! What are you doing here?" A surprise Miharu asked from behind the counter.

"Don't you ever check your email? It's in all in there. Oh this is my friend Asuka. Asuka this is my friend Miharu. I met her when I visited a while back."

"It's nice to meet you, Miharu," Asuka replied politely.

"Likewise, Asuka. I'll check my email later Xiao, but here's my number. Do have a cell yet?"

"Yeah, I actually just got it. It's prepaid though." Xiao gave Miharu her pink tiny camera flip phone.

"Do you have au? You get free incoming calls. Don't worry about it, just call me, tell me to call you back and you'll be fine." Xiao nodded her head with understanding. "Call me later Xiao okay? Now what can I get you two?"

As the two girls gave their orders, they were completely oblivious of the stares they were receiving from the male species, including Jin and his business partner.

"Hey Jin, check that one out, the taller one. If she was a nail and I were a hammer, I'm telling ya Jin,"

"That's my sister Johnny," Jin said only occasionally glancing at Xiao hoping neither of them would notice.

Xiao felt that someone was looking at her so she turned her head in her instinctive direction and caught Jin looking at her. She did the first thing that came to mind. She flashed him a smile and waved at him before turning her attention back to her companions.

Xiao and Asuka got their food and looked for a table to sit at. Asuka spotted her brother at a table meant for four so she made her way to the table with Xiao in tow.

"Hey Jin! These seats taken?"

"Suki-chan, we're kinda in the middle of a business meeting."

"It's okay, we were pretty much done anyway right Jin?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Jin come on, it's Saturday. Don't be so up-tight. Knowing you, I'm surprised you didn't come in a tie." Johnny attempted to have Jin relax more while the girls took a seat.

After Jin introduced her sister and Xiao to Johnny, Asuka decided to be first to break the ice. "So what are you two doing after this?"

"Uhm, I'm probably just gonna go ride my bike around town and go club hopping later with a couple of friends. Jin?"

"Nothing really." Jin glanced over at Xiao who was enjoying her cesar salad. "Enjoying your salad?"

Xiao shot a glare at him, pouting. "Why don't you have airplane food for breakfast then have a salad at lunch and tell me the salad isn't better?"

The three of them giggled at her and finished off their meals all going their separate ways.

After shopping, Xiao and Asuka got back to their respective apartments; Xiao put away her clothes and Asuka got ready for her date.

Asuka stepped into the apartment and was suddenly being interrogated by her brother. "So who's your date?"

"Ryo, from high school. Don't worry we're just going to the movies and we might eat at a burger joint later. If anything we're just hanging out, except he's paying. I gotta go. I told him just to wait in the car. I'll be home by 10:00, master." Asuka said the last part playfully.

"Alright. No drinking, drugs or - "

"Sex. I know! I'm old enough to take care of myself. Don't worry. Don't wait up. I know 10:00's way passed your bed time - "

"Just go! Have fun. Not too much fun."

"Okay Jin! Ja."

"Ja ne."

Jin settled his self on the couch flipping through the channels. Nothing at the time seemed to interest him, so he made his way across the hall and knocked on Xiao's door. Jin noticed the music coming from inside and the door a jar, but he rang the doorbell out of respect for her privacy. After he didn't get a response he knocked a couple of times and when he still didn't get one he opened the door and was about to check if she was home when he saw her dancing around her living. He stood there for a while watching her dance to American music and cleaning her living room at the same time. After clearing his throat loudly, Xiao straightened her posture and turned to face her audience.

"Hi Jin. Uhm, how long have you been watching me?" Xiao nervously greeted him inside, a little bit embarrassed about her pervious actions.

Jin chuckled before responding, "Long enough. Don't worry though, it happens to the best of us. What were you doing anyway?" Jin released a giggle after Xiao gave him a pout.

"I was cleaning."

"No? Really?" a sound of mocking in his voice.

"Yes I was!"

"On a Saturday?" Jin replied with a grin playing his lips.

"Quit mocking me!" Xiao exclaimed but she couldn't help but giggle. She figured she had it coming to her.

"Do you want a drink or something?" Xiao asked making her way to her kitchen with Jin following.

"Water?"

"Sure thing. So what are you up to? Is your apartment that boring?" Xiao said tossing him a bottle of Aquafina.

"It's not this colorful, I'll tell you that. I just wanted to see what you were up to."

"Well let's go the living room. It's a lot more comfy. Oh and careful walking around that corner I just waxed the - " Xiao was interrupted by a loud thud. "-floor. Are you okay?"

Xiao went over and crouched down to inspect Jin's head, gently touching the lump. "Owie, that looks like it hurts."

Jin winced at the pressure being put on his lump. "No not really. I'm fine."

"Go sit on the couch, I'll get you some ice."

Jin got up to face her, "No, I'm fine, really."

"I feel bad! I'm getting you ice."

"You shouldn't feel bad, I just slipped."

"Yeah, because I didn't tell you about the waxed floor earlier. Now go sit on the couch okay?"

"Alright, if you really wanna baby my lump."

"I do, so go wait on the couch."

Xiao came back into the living room with an ice pack in her hand and placed it gently on Jin's lump. "It's not that big, this really isn't necessary."

"Yes it is, now hush."

"I think I'm fine, you can put the ice down."

"Your lump hasn't gotten the slightest amount smaller. At least pretend you're grateful for me doing this."

"I am I - "

"Act like it."

Jin smirked and with a defeated sigh, agreed. "Fine."

"Can you touch it softer? It kinda hurts." Jin asked in a child like voice.

"Oh I'm sorry. Is this better?"

"Yes."

Giggling, Xiao decided to keep the ice pack on his head a little while longer. She unconsciously straddled him so she could put the ice pack on his head easier. Jin placed his hands on her waist, to try and help steady her. He sat quietly looking at her concentrated face as she unconsciously bit her lower lip. Satisfied with the reduced size of the lump, she took off the ice pack and laid it on the end table, neither one of them moving from their positions.

"Better?" Xiao asked, looking into his hazel brown eyes.

Jin shook his head unsatisfied. "No."

Giggling, Xiao kissed the lump on the top of his head. "Muah. How bout now?"

"Mmmhmm. Much better." Xiao returned her gaze into his eyes, neither noticing the distance, or lack there of, between the two.

Suddenly, the Mario Brother's theme song started playing.

"Heh. That would be my phone."

"You should answer that."

"Oh! Right." Xiao reached into her back pocket as she plopped down on the couch next to Jin.

"Moshi moshi 3…Hi Mi!...Tomorrow? Uhm, nothing why?...Really? Where?...Okay, yeah that sounds great…Alrighty I'll see you then…Bye." She turned her attention back to Jin, who looked like he was thinking deeply. "It was my friend Miharu, I met her a long time ago. She was wondering what I was doing tomorrow and there's supposed to be a big sale, so we're gonna go check that out."

"You're big on shopping aren't you?"

"Heh. Can you tell?"

"Only a little bit. I was wondering, do you have any plans for the night?"

"I sure don't."

"Good, so you'll go to dinner with me? And I can show you around Tokyo at night, when all the lights are on."

Xiaoyu contemplated on his proposal.

"I'm paying."

"Hehe. Sure why not? Right now?"

"Whenever you're ready, princess."

"I'm not a princess!" Xiao locked her door and the two climbed down the stairs.

After dinner at a floating sushi bar near the apartment complex, Jin took Xiao around downtown sometimes getting distracted and entering shops.

"Jin, we have to take sticky pictures!"

"No way! I don't do pictures."

"Please?" Xiao stopped in front of him and gave him her big puppy eyes.

"You can do them, I'll wait for you." Jin kept his composure, not phased by her eyes at all.

"Pretty please? It's not fun alone," Xiao added a quivering to he puppy eyes.

"Alright. Just this once."

"Yay! Let's go!"

After the pictures printed out, they picked out the funnies ones and the ones they liked best. Xiao cut the sheet in half and gave one to Jin and kept the other for herself. They made their way back to apartment but stopped for ice cream and sat on a bench at a nearby park.

"Tonight was so much fun Jin! Thank you."

"Don't mention it. It did me some good as well."

"Not a lot, you still seem a little up-tight," Xiao stated with a wicked grin her face.

"What are you talking about? I had some fu - " Xiao interrupted him by shoving her ice cream cone in his face. "Oops!"

Jin chased after her with his ice cream trying to get her back. They eventually had an ice cream war, and smeared strawberry and vanilla ice cream all over each other. It was about 11:00 by the time the two had decided to go back to the apartments. "Xiaoyu?"

"Hmm?" she turned her head towards him, tilting it a little to let him know she was listening.

"What do you consider a date?"

"I honestly don't know."

"Would this count?", a hint of hope within his voice.

"I don't know. Hmm." Xiao stopped abruptly putting her right pointer finger on her nose speculating over his question. "Okay, when we get back, and I kiss you, it was a date. If I don't, then it wasn't. Simple enough?"

"Works for me."

The rest of the walk back to the apartments was silent. Not an awkward kind of silent, a comfortable one. As they reached their floor Xiao was going to say something but was interrupted by Jin. "I wanna walk you to your door."

"Okay, because we're both five feet away from our own doors…" Xiao said with a chuckle.

"It's the principle of it."

"Hehe. Okay."

"6. We took six steps to our left so you could say good-night?"

"Yes. I'm extremely picky about where I say my good-night's at."

Letting out a laugh, Xiao started, "Well I had a great time. Tonight was fun."

"I'm glad you had fun. I did."

"I want a hug."

"No way! You're all covered in sticky ice cream left-over!" Jin exclaimed playfully.

"Hey! You are too!"

"I know, I was just kidding. Come here." Jin pulled Xiao into a hug as she stood on her tip-toes and gave him a peck on the cheek. In return, Jin kissed Xiao's forehead lightly. "What are you doing next weekend, Xiao?"

"Nothing that I know of yet."

"Second date?" Jin asked releasing her from the hug.

"Yeah." With a giggle, Xiao took out her keys and opened her door. "Good night."

"Good night."

Xiao closed the door and locked it and hopped into the shower, throwing her dirty clothes in the laundry basket. After her shower, she slipped into her pink flannel pajamas and hopped into bed.

Jin walked through the door and switched on the lights only to be taken out of his thoughts. "Where have you been?"

"Hey Suki-chan."

"You still haven't answered me! Where were you? I was getting worried, you wouldn't pick your cell up and I didn't even have a note."

"Yeah, I was out later than I expected."

"Where? Why are you covered in ice cream?"

"I was on a date."

"You were on a date?" Asuka asked her brother unbelievably.

"Yeah, it's a Saturday." Asuka shook her head at his response, her own words getting her back.

"Wait, with who?"

"Whom." Jin corrected as he made his way to the bathroom. He closed the door and turned on the shower.

"Jin! You didn't answer me!"

He replied loudly so she could hear through the door with a genuine smile on his face. "The girl next door."

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1 Ja ne! - Later.

2 Tadaima! - I'm home.

3 Moshi moshi - Hello. (On the phone)

Well yup. That's chapter one! Tell me what you think!


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